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Wild Pigs and we ain't talking Weinergate; ABC News investigates San Diego Cty. feral p's
By Ah-Ha editors

Wild Pigs and we ain't talking Weinergate; ABC News investigates San Diego County feral pigs and gthe people who would kill them...

 (ABC News this week produced an interesting look at the feral pigs of San Diego County. Story by CHRISTINA NG. For more...)

 

It looks as if San Diego County is far from becoming hog heaven for theferal pigs in the area that potential eradication.

With no natural predators and voracious breeding habits, hunters in California cannot keep up with the expanding population of these wild pigs that weigh between 250 and 350 pounds. Even though they are not dangerous to humans, the hefty creatures, with their dark fur and large tusks, are a sight to see. They have also been known to make deep grunting sounds.

Many landowners view these pigs as a destructive nuisance. "They tear up property, tear up landscape and tear up habitats," said Andrew Hughan, the public information officer at the California Department of Fish and Game.

Now the federal... (more)

Permalink | Comments (0) | Posted June 12, 2011 | more Regional
Mountain lion sighting at Fairbanks Ranch (sounds familiar?) on May 21, RSF Patrol says
By Ah-Ha Police/Fire News

Mountain lion sighting at Fairbanks Ranch (sounds familiar?) on May 21, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Patrol says...

Shades of September, another six months, another mountain lion sighting (allegedly) in the Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. area. The Rancho Santa Fe Patrol this week said:

"Fairbanks Ranch Security reported that a resident's employee in their community spotted a Mountain Lion on Saturday May 21.  It was on a horse ranch near El Apajo and the San Dieguito River area.  This is a common area for these animals to be seen."

Well, maybe, maybe not. The last mountain lion "sighting" in the area turned out to be a media mirage. As first reported at Ah-Ha Rancho Santa Fe News, it was picked up by EVERY media outlet in San Diego County (without attribution, by the way) and even across Southern California, resulting in a massive media blitz full of sound and fury, signifying...

Nothing, d'uh. It turned out to be a "sighting" by a highly unreliable source -- newspaper delivery person -- and was never corroborated.

For the ORIGINAL story that kicked off last fall's faux mountain lion uproar visit Ah-Ha Rancho anta Fe News HERE.

The Rancho Santa Fe Patrol this week added: "As far as we know, the sighting has not been confirmed by Fish and Game.  See earlier posts for precaustions with these animals."

Yeah, right, whatever.

Just in case you spot a mountain lion though:

Living in Mountain Lion Country

These are California Department of Fish and Game tips to prevent deadly conflicts with these beautiful wild animals:


  • Don’t feed deer; it is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.
  • Deer-proof your landscaping by avoiding plants that deer like to eat. For tips, request A Gardener’s Guide to Preventing Deer Damage from DFG offices.
  • Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.
  • Don’t leave small children or pets outside unattended.
  • Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.
  • Provide sturdy, covered shelters for sheep, goats, and other vulnerable animals.
  • Don’t allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active—dawn, dusk, and at night.
  • Bring pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.

 

 

If a resident wants to report a sighting or a problem, they can call the Department of Fish and Game at (858) 467-4257. For general information, call (858) 467-4201.

 

Also, visit the California Department of Fish and Game site: www.keepmewild.org.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Posted May 30, 2011 | more Police/Fire
Media Bits I: Del Mar realtor Mike Criesl, O-side firewoman on Survivor Redemption Island
By From the Desk of Dr. Ango Zongo

Media Bits I: Del Mar realtor Mike Criesl, O-side firewoman on Survivor Redemption Island...

This just in from the world of TV: Del Mar real estate agent Mike Criesl, 31, was reveled Tuesday as one of 18 cast members -- incuding "Boston Rob" and "Rupert" -- of "Survivor Redemption Island". Considering the show was shot last fall in Nicaragua, you may want to contact Mike about how he did. Who knows?

Also in the mix from the local perspective, one Julie Wolfe, 50, Oceanside firefighter. She won the World Championship Outrigger Canoe Race in 1996 and 1998 and appears quite good to go.

"Survivor: Redemption Island" had this deal whereby voted-off castaways were sent to an isolated island dubbed "Redemption Island" -- Get it? --  where they live alone in exile, then competed against the next person voted out, yada yada...

This is hot off the web from one of Mike's real estate sites.

 "Mike, born in Minnesota and raised in Texas, graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a core engineering systems degree.  While majoring in economics,  he started as a line backer on the Varsity Football team.  After graduation, Mike was commissioned as an Officer in the Marine Corps. After five years service and multiple combat tours, he was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal as well as the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal.  

Mike has an extensive background in economics and has taught collegiate level classes as a Professor at Central Texas College.

Mike has teamed with a fellow Naval Academy Graduate and former Marine Captain, Dan Chapman, to use the character, discipline, and integrity honed in the U.S. Marine Corps to serve clients in today's ever changing real estate market."

Contact Mike Chiesl (Trident Realty Group)

Website
 http://www.tridentre.com
Office Phone(858) 222-3414
Fax (858) 724-1410
Address 1155 Camino Del Mar, 467, Del Mar, CA, 92014
Description
Real Estate Consulting & Investing

Then there's the take on Julie Wolfe via Vevmo...
 Name (Age): Julie Wolfe (50)Tribe : ZapateraCurrent Residence: Oceanside, Calif.
Occupation: Firefighter
Personal Claim to Fame: Winning the World Championship Outrigger Canoe Race in 1996 and 1998. The race is 41 miles long from the Island of Molokai to Oahu.
Inspiration in Life: All of the U.S. Soldiers that are away from their families defending our country and our freedom.
Hobbies: Outrigger canoe paddling, stand-up paddling and motherhood.
Pet Peeves: Laziness and bullies.
3 Words to Describe You: Hard-headed, outspoken and spoiled.
SURVIVOR Contestant You Are Most Like : Ashley from Survivor China. She was a strong outspoken woman whose mouth got her voted off the first episode.
Reason for being on SURVIVOR: To win a million dollars and make a better life for my daughters. I want to be a role model for my girls to show them they can achieve their goals and dreams.
Why you think you'll "survive" SURVIVOR: My experience as a firefighter has made me mentally and physically strong.
Reason why you think you will be the sole SURVIVOR: I'm very likeable. I think I can outwit the other contestants to vote off people other than me.

 

Of the other players, 10 of the 16 are from California, and one is a former NFL player, Steve Wright, 51, of Huntington Beach, Calif.

The others are: Andrea Boehlke, 21, a student from Random Lake, Wis.; Matt Elrod, 22, a pre-med student from Nashville; .Francesca Hogi, 36, an attorney from Washington D.C.; Kristina Kell, 46, a law student from Malibu, Dalif; Grant Mattos, 29, a yoga instructor from West Hollywood, Calif.; Philip Sheppard, 52, a technology executive from Santa Monica, Calif.; Natalie Tenerelli, 19, a dancer from Acton, Calif.; Ashley Underwood, 25, a nurse from Benton, Maine; Mike Chiesl, 31, a former marine from Del Mar, Calif.; Ralph Kiser, 44, a farmer from Lebanon,, Va.; Krista Klumpp, 25, a pharmaceutical rep from Columbia, S.C.; David Murphy, 31, an attorney from West Hollywood, Calif., Stephanie Valencia, 25, a waitress from Long Beach, Calif.; Sarita White, 36, a visual effects producer from Santa Monica, falif.; and Julie Wolfe, 50, a firefighter from Oceanside, Calif. 

"Filmed on the same beaches as those used for Survivor: Nicaragua, the season begins with the contestants (along with Probst) being delivered to their destination in style. “We came in on a Mil-17, ” says Probst, “which is a Russian helicopter that is owned by the Nicaraguan air force, and that was one of the baddest rides that I’ve ever had. It is a huge machine. You can’t hear a thing when you’re up there.”

-- Entertainment Weekly

 

 

Permalink | Comments (0) | Posted January 11, 2011 | more Arts/Music/TV-Movies/Etc.
Mountain lion sighting reported at Rancho Santa Fe near La Granada - information and tips
By dweisman

Mountain lion sighting reported at Rancho Santa Fe near La Granada - information and tips

 About four months after a mountain lion allegedly attacked a Las Colinas woman's dogs, another local mountain lion report has the community on edge.

On Wednesday, Sept. 22, "We had a caller report sighting what he believes is a mountain lion...in the village area near La Granada and Avenida de Acacias," said Tom  Lang, Rancho Santa Fe Association president. "This occurred at 3:45 in the morning. The same caller has seen a similar animal in the past in the village area."

While people sometimes see a lot of strange comings and going in the early morning hours, and sometimes bobcats are mistaken for mountain lions, the fact is the mountain lion attack in May adds credence to the report. Nancy Bailey said her German Shepherds Hanz and Franz escaped with broken tails and cuts.

"One looks like it was being chased and it was just a big claw mark," Bailey said. "It's very hard to say that it lives in this canyon or lives around here even."

Living in Mountain Lion Country

These are California Department of Fish and Game tips to prevent deadly conflicts with these beautiful wild animals:


  • Don’t feed deer; it is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.
  • Deer-proof your landscaping by avoiding plants that deer like to eat. For tips, request A Gardener’s Guide to Preventing Deer Damage from DFG offices.
  • Trim brush to reduce hiding places for mountain lions.
  • Don’t leave small children or pets outside unattended.
  • Install motion-sensitive lighting around the house.
  • Provide sturdy, covered shelters for sheep, goats, and other vulnerable animals.
  • Don’t allow pets outside when mountain lions are most active—dawn, dusk, and at night.
  • Bring pet food inside to avoid attracting raccoons, opossums and other potential mountain lion prey.

 

 

 

 California Department of Fish and Game officials said several similar mountain lion attacks on pets had taken place. The lions travel alone and are very territorial, ranging over 30 to 40 miles in the case of females and 100 miles per male. Attacks usually happen in areas with lots of hills and natural features, officials said.

Mountain lions "will avoid humans," Lang said. "One good way to scare them off is to use a party horn (air horn)...The animals prey on deer and coyotes.  If people leave food out for pets, that attracts coyotes, and coyotes attract Mountain Lions- and so on.

Fish and Game officials "advise people not to let small children or pets outside unattended" Lang said. "Don’t allow pets outside at dusk and dawn or at night. Don’t leave food out for deer, or other wild animals."

More than half of California is mountain lion habitat. Mountain lions generally exist wherever deer are found, Fish and Game officials said.

"Mountain lions prefer deer but, if allowed, they also eat pets and livestock. In extremely rare cases, even people have fallen prey to mountain lions," officials said.

Mountain lions that threaten people are immediately killed. Those that prey on pets or livestock can be killed by a property owner after the required depredation permit is secured. Moving problem mountain lions is not an option. It causes deadly conflicts with other mountain lions already there. Or the relocated mountain lion returns, according to the Department of Fish and Game.

 If a resident wants to report a sighting or a problem, they can call the Department of Fish and Game at (858) 467-4257. For general information, call (858) 467-4201.

Also, visit the California Department of Fish and Game site: www.keepmewild.org
Permalink | Comments (0) | Posted September 27, 2010 | more News, etc.
Local Real Estate Agent Roberta Murphy Opines - Rancho Santa Fe Rattlers, Do's and Dont's
By Roberta Murphy
Local Real Estate Agent Roberta Murphy Opines - Rancho Santa Fe Rattlers, Do's and Dont's

 Our son Eric has an adventurous girlfriend living in Rancho Santa Fe who has few fears of any creature. Not long ago, her younger brother came into the home screaming about a rattlesnake on the grounds.

RaShelle Garton-Wright jumped into her Ugg boots,  grabbed her camera, a piece of plastic pipe and ran down the path. There, in all its colored glory, was a three-plus-foot rattlesnake slithering through the iceplant.

She and her brother tried to follow it with the pipe, hoping to hold it in place until San Diego Animal Control could ensnare the snake and move it to a more remote habitat–as they had done before when a large rattler was found near their home last summer.

Though beautiful, this appears to be a Southern Pacific Rattlesnake, a venomous and potentially dangerous reptile that is more properly known as Crotalus Oreganus Helleri. It is not an endangered species and is likely far more dangerous...
Permalink | Comments (0) | Posted September 02, 2010 | more Community